Test socket for studded semi conductors

ABSTRACT

A test socket for receiving the stud of a semi conductor for testing, comprising of: four equidistantly disposed upwardly and inwardly extending inclined contact arms, the arms being connected in common to a binding post; four electrical contacts, each secured to the inside of the upper end of a corresponding arm; and manually operated means, actuated after the stud is disposed vertically downward in the center of a space bounded by the arms, to increase the amount of inward inclination of the arms until the contacts engage the stud.

United States Patent 1 Arnold 1 1 Jan. 7, 1975 1 1 TEST SOCKET FOR STUDDED SEMI CONDUCTORS [75] Inventor: Edward S. Arnold, Oshawa,

Ontario, Canada [73] Assignee: The Raymond Lee Organization,

Inc., New York, N.Y.

221 Filed: Aug.31, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 393,391

[52] US. Cl. 339/74 R, 339/75 M, 339/174 [51] Int. Cl. I-I0lr 13/50, HOlr 13/62 [58] Field of Search... 339/17 C, 17 CF, 75, 150 B,

339/151B,174,193 VS, 74; 324/158 F [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,738,483 3/1956 McLean et a1. 339/75 T X 3,516,044 6/1970 Barnes et al...... 339/193 VS X 3,697,929 10/1972 Konewko et al.. 339/75 MP 3,715,662 2/1973 Richelmann 324/158 F 3,728,667 4/1973 Richelmann 339/17-4 UX 3,805,159 4/1974 Richelmann 339/74 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS U.S.S.R. 339/75 M 885,040 12/1961 Great Britain 339/75 MP OTHER PUBLICATIONS Ross, Test Socket," IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, October 1967, Vol. 10, No. 5, page 549.

Gustafson, Low-Stress Connector," IBM Tech. Disc. Bulletin, April 1968, Vol. 10, No. 11, page 1656.

Caulfield et al., I. C. Carrier," IBM Tech. Disc. Bulletin, March 1972, Vol. 14, No. 10, page 2903.

Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-Lawrence .l. Staab [5 7] ABSTRACT A test socket for receiving the stud of a semi conductor for testing, comprising of: four equidistantly disposed upwardly and inwardly extending inclined contact arms, the arms being connected in common to a binding post; four electrical contacts, each secured to the inside of the upper end of a corresponding arm; and manually operated means, actuated after the stud is disposed vertically downward in the center of a space bounded by the arms, to increase the amount of inward inclination of the arms until the contacts engage the stud. Y

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures TEST SOCKET FOR STUDDED SEMI CONDUCTORS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My invention is directed towards a test socket used in testing studded semi conductors which enables electrical testing to be carried out quickly, efficiently and easily with minimum wear or abrasion of stud or socket.

The socket is provided with four equidistantly disposed upwardly and inwardly extending inclined contact arms, the arms being connected in common to a binding post. A separate electrical contact is secured to the inside of the upper end of each arm. Manually operated means, actuated after the stud is disposed vertically downward in the center of a space bounded by the arms, to increase the amount of inward inclination of the arms until the contacts engage the stud whereby testing can be performed.

The means includes a plate, a horizontal shaft rotated by an arm at right angles thereto and a cam on the shaft which produces relative motion between the arms and the plate, the inward inclination being increased when the plate is lowered relative tothe arms.

BRIEF'DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a cutaway front view of one form of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a cutaway left side view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top .view thereof;

FIG. 4' is a view of a modification thereof; and

FIG. 5 illustrates the connections between the contact arms.

DETAILEDDESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIGS. 1-3 and 5 a flat horizontal circular base formed for example of molded delrin or polypropylene has a removable hollow cover 12 having a center opening 14 and a bottom flange l6 bolted to the base. A handle mount 18 of like material extends upward from the base.

A horizontal bore 20 in mount 18 accommodates rotatable shaft 22 having an exposed handle 24 disposed at right angles thereto. Both vertical flat nylon cams 26 are secured at off center holes to shaft 22 and rotate therewith. The cams extend at right angles to the shaft. Cam stop 34 prevents any left hand movement toward vertical guide 38.

A horizontal circular pressure plate 28 is disposed above the cam and mount with a center hole 30 which defines an inverted truncated cone. Steel springs 32 extend downward from the plate to brackets 35 adjacent plate stop 36. Plate 28 has a hole-through which vertical guide 38 carrying compression spring 40 extends.

An external binding post 42 is connected via terminal lugs and brackets 35 to each of four upwardly and inwardly inclined equidistantly spaced contact arms 44 having contacts 46 at inner top ends. The arms are formed of tempered beryllium copper. The contacts can be gold plated over a nickel strike.

In use a threaded stud of a semi conductor is inserted vertically within the opening 14, the arm 24- is pivoted and the cam forces the plate down bending arms inward until the contacts engage the stud. A voltage is applied between the appropriate terminal or terminals of the semi conductor and the binding post to perform the appropriate electrical test or tests.

FIG. 4 shows a modification in which the plate 28 is secured pivotally by spring steel wire 60 to the arms 44 and is supported by an integral vertical shaft 62 movable in vertical bore 64 of housing 66 of delrin or the like. The bottom ends of the arms are secured to an upper baselO' and the bore extends to a bottom base 10''. The cam when rotated can pass through slot 68. The same cover as used in FIGS. l-3 can be used. The rotation of the arm 24 forces the contact engagement with the stud and the test proceeds as before.

While I have described my invention with-particular reference to the drawings, such is not to be considered as limiting its actual scope.

Having thus described this invention, what is asserted as new is:

l. A test socket for receiving the stud of a studded semiconductor for testing comprising:

a hollow electrically nonconductive structure having a top horizontal opening through which the stud extends;

four equidistantly disposed upwardly and inwardly extending inclined contact arms in the structure, said arms being connected in common to a binding post;

four electrical contacts in the structure, each secured on the inside of the upper end of a corresponding arm; and

manually operated means in the structure, actuated after said stud is disposed vertically downward in the center of a space bounded by the arms to increase the amount of inward inclination ofthe arms until said contacts engage the stud, said means includinga plate disposed horizontally in the space, spring wire securing said plate to said arms, a horizontal shaft rotated by an arm extending at right angles thereto, and cams on the shaft which produces relative motion between said arms and the plate, whereby lowering the plate relative to the arms increases said inward inclination. 

1. A test socket for receiving the stud of a studded semiconductor for testing comprising: a hollow electrically nonconductive structure having a top horizontal opening through which the stud extends; four equidistantly disposed upwardly and inwardly extending inclined contact arms in the structure, said arms being connected in common to a binding post; four electrical contacts in the structure, each secured on the inside of the upper end of a corresponding arm; and manually operated means in the structure, actuated after said stud is disposed vertically downward in the center of a space bounded by the arms to increase the amount of inward inclination of the arms until said contacts engage the stud, said means including a plate disposed horizontally in the space, spring wire securing said plate to said arms, a horizontal shaft rotated by an arm extending at right angles thereto, and cams on the shaft which produces relative motion between said arms and the plate, whereby lowering the plate relative to the arms increases said inward inclination. 